During a recent interview in his municipal building office, Gibson spoke about that and reflected on his years at the helm of city government.

Gibson, 56, described himself as someone who always said he would never seek elective office.

However, that changed after voters decided to move from town meeting form of government to the mayoral system and set the city’s first mayoral election in August of 2000. Gibson asked for the advice of his wife, Sandra, as to whether he should run for Town Council or mayor. She told him he was just as qualified for office as people seeking the mayoralty and that he should run for that.

He went on to win at the polls five times. Gibson announced this fall that he would not seek re-election because of the “24-7” nature of the work. Gibson was succeeded by Gregory C. Neffinger, who was sworn in Tuesday morning.

As to the secret of his success with the voters, Gibson said he tries to give good value and thinks that resident realize he has always put forth his best efforts.

“The majority of people have liked what they have seen. Even in constrained fiscal times we have invested in the community and improved the quality of life,” Gibson said.

Among his accomplishments have been moving from half-day to full-day kindergarten and from trash collection once every two weeks to once a week. Gibson has also put an emphasis on repaving roads and sidewalks as well as getting signalization or improving signalization of troublesome intersections.

In recent years, he has had the city invest about $1.1 million in energy efficient measures in the municipal building, including the installation of new windows. Those measures have resulted in significant savings on electric and heating bills for the structure, according to Gibson.

Perhaps Gibson’s most significant achievement has been shepherding along the new $107.1 million high school now being constructed adjacent to the structure on Piper Road now housing West Springfield High School. About $68.8 million of the project will be paid for with a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

“I was delighted I could take part in the groundbreaking before I left office,” Gibson said. “This is going to be one of the crowning jewels in West Springfield for decades to come.”

Another project of which Gibson has been a strong proponent has been replacing the aging West Springfield Public Library with a new building on what would be the site of Mittineague School.

Gibson said he does not believe that technology, particularly e-readers, will make libraries obsolete. He argued that some people still won’t be able to afford paying for accessing material over e-readers and that there will always be some books not available through that venue.

One of the few controversies that erupted during Gibson’s tenure was allegations by former School Superintendent Suzanne T. Marotta that he got the School Committee to decline to renew her contract because she rejected his sexual advances. Marotta in March of 2010 filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and later withdrew it to pursue the matter in a Hampden Superior Court lawsuit.

Gibson said the lawsuit has been resolved without using any city funds, but would not comment on whether there was a financial settlement. Patricia M. Rapinchuk, the city’s attorney in the matter, declined to talk about specifics, saying both sides are bound by a confidentiality agreement not to comment.

Gibson, who grew up in Agawam, moved to West Springfield in 1989.

“I found it to be a marvelous community, very compassionate and caring people,” Gibson said. “I found it a great place to call home. I had a lot of friends over here, too.”

Gibson, who has an undergraduate degree from Western New England College as well as a master’s in business administration, got acquainted with West Springfield from his job managing the former West Side Hardware. He did that for 19 years before moving on to working for three years as an acquisitions analyst for Aetna Inc. in Hartford.

From there, he moved on to becoming mayor all while not being enrolled in any political party. Gibson said he believes in backing the candidate, not the party.

As for the future, Gibson said he plans to spend his first few weeks relaxing, but hopes to have a new job by the end of January or beginning of February.

While declining to be specific, Gibson said, “I have a few irons in the fire. I can be a little bit picky at this time of life.”